I Want to Finish Right

 Temple Baptist Church - 12-28-2025

2 Timothy 4:6-8

 

Introduction:  A Charge Left!  “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

“I (Paul-our predecessors), charge (passing the torch to the next generation), thee (those who remain faithful to God), therefore (because Paul’s race has been run and ours has begun), before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ (A debt owed to God, the Gospel, and the world).”

 

A.  Christmas is over, and a New Year is at hand. 

 

1.  2025 has been a year of uncertainty, along with blessings and challenges that have almost become history. 

 

2.  God was good to us last year; God protected us; God fed us.  God has been SO good to us!

 

B.  The new year is on the horizon now.  We see it quickly approaching, and next week, 2026 will be here, the birth of a new year, a time of future history.  A tale to be written; a tale to be told.

 

1.  Some of us are getting old; all of us are getting older; the time of His appearing or our departure is nearing.  One way or the other, we will be leaving for home soon. 

 

2.  I want to finish right!  Paul finished right through all of life’s toils and snares.  What an example he left for all of us to follow.

 

a)  Every life moves steadily toward an appointed end.

b)  Every journey has a final step.

c)  Every race has a finish line.

 

C.  The question is not whether we will finish, but how will we finish.

 

1.  Second Timothy 4:6–8 brings us to one of the most sacred moments in all of Scripture—the closing testimony of the Apostle Paul. One day, I will stand where Paul stood.  One day, you will stand where Paul stood.

 

2.  These are not hurried words, nor are they spoken in fear. They are measured, deliberate, and Spirit-guided. Paul stands at the edge of eternity, looking back over a life marked by suffering, sacrifice, and service to Christ.

 

3.  He has been beaten, imprisoned, rejected, and misunderstood. Yet now, with death approaching, Paul does not speak of what he has lost—he speaks of what he has kept. He does not mourn what he endured, he rejoices in what he has finished. He does not dread what lies ahead—he anticipates the crown awaiting him.

 

D.  This passage shows us that a faithful Christian life is not defined by comfort, applause, or longevity, but is marked by faithfulness to Christ from his salvation until the end.  Paul was martyred in app. 65 AD.

 

E.  As we near the close of another year—and as each of us draws closer to the close of our own earthly course—these verses call us to sober self-examination. They remind us that the Christian life is not a sprint, but a lifelong race that must be run to completion.

 

F.  Paul finished right.  And by the grace of God, so must we.  In these verses, the Holy Spirit teaches us how a believer can face the end of life:

 

1.  Not with fear, but with confidence,

 

2.  Not with regret, but with assurance.

 

3.  Not with uncertainty, but with hope.

 

G.  Let us now hear the testimony of a man who could say, by God’s grace, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

 

H.  As I read 2 Timothy, chapter 4, I see the end of a great life, a life spent for Christ.  The Apostle Paul was one of the greatest Christians who ever lived.  He fought a good fight; he finished his course; he kept the faith.

 

1.  The apostle Paul writes these words from a Roman prison, knowing that his execution is near. This is not the language of despair, but of settled confidence.

 

2.  Paul looks back without regret, looks within without fear, and looks ahead with assurance. These verses teach us how a believer is to finish well.

 

3.  In an age that emphasizes starting strong, Scripture emphasizes ending faithfully. The Christian life is not measured merely by enthusiasm at conversion, but by endurance unto the end.

 

J.  That is what I desire.  That is what you should desire.  The world’s problems and America’s problems stem from one thing—a rejection of God, His Son, Christ Jesus, and salvation.

 

K.  How to finish right?  I believe that Paul gave us several things in these verses to help us answer that question in the affirmative.

 

1. A Life Willingly Offered – Verse 6.  “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”

 

a.  Paul views his death as an offering. The word carries the idea of a drink offering poured out upon the sacrifice.  Paul illustrates this well in the Philippian Epistle.

 

Philippians 2:16-17  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.  (17)  Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

b.  The Lord compared His life’s end to “drinking the cup.”

 

Matthew 20:22  But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.

 

c.  Libation – Drink Offering poured out for the Lord.  His life has been steadily poured out for Christ, and now the cup is nearly empty. Best illustrated in the Old Testament.

2 Samuel 23:15-16  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!  (16)  And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 

 

d.  In verse six, we see:

 

1)  Paul’s readiness – “I am now ready.” Paul is not surprised by death, nor afraid of it. A life lived for Christ prepares a man to die in peace.

 

2)  Paul’s resignation — “the time of my departure is at hand.” The word “departure” was used of loosening the moorings of a ship or striking a tent. Death for the believer is not destruction, but transition to the next world which is eternal.

 

3)  Paul’s resolve — Paul does not speak of escape, but of offering. His concern is not self-preservation, but faithfulness. 

 

2. A Battle Faithfully Fought – (Verse 7a) – “I have fought a good fight…”  The Christian life is a conflict. Paul never portrays it as easy, but he does call it good. Paul does not say he fought a famous fight or a successful fight, but a good one — fought according to God’s rules, for God’s cause.

 

a.  It is a necessary fight — against sin, false doctrine, the world, and the flesh.

 

b.  It is a noble fight — fought for truth, righteousness, and the glory of God.

 

c.  It is a personal fight — “I have fought.” Paul did not borrow another man’s convictions.

 

3. A Race Faithfully Finished – (Verse 7b) – “…I have finished my course…”  The Christian life is not only a battle; it is a race. Each believer has a course, a God-appointed path. Many start the race, but Scripture commends those who finish it.

 

a.  The course assigned by God — Paul did not choose his own ministry; he fulfilled the one given to him.

 

b.  The course requires endurance — finishing matters more than starting.

 

c.  The course had an end — and Paul reached it without turning aside.

 

 

4. A Trust Faithfully Kept – (Verse 7c) – “…I have kept the faith.”  This speaks both of personal faithfulness and doctrinal preservation. Keeping the faith requires vigilance, courage, and love for the truth.

 

a.  He guarded the gospel — Paul did not alter the message to suit the times.

 

b.  He persevered in belief — trials did not shake his confidence in Christ.

 

c.  He remained loyal — when others departed, Paul stood firm.

 

5. A Crown Graciously Given – Verse 8) – “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness…”  Paul looks ahead, not to Caesar’s sword, but to Christ’s judgment seat.

 

a.  The certainty of the reward — “there is laid up.” It is already reserved.

 

b.  The character of the reward — “a crown of righteousness,” not self-earned merit, but reward consistent with God’s righteous judgment.

 

c.  The giver of the reward — “the Lord, the righteous judge.” Earthly courts failed Paul, but heaven’s court will not.

 

d.  The scope of the reward — “not to me only.” This promise is for all who “love his appearing.”

 

Conclusion:  Paul’s testimony is not the boast of a proud man, but the confidence of a faithful servant. He was offered, he fought, he finished, he kept, and he will be crowned. May God grant us grace to say at the end of our days what Paul said at the end of his:  “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

Bibliology: The Doctrine of Scriptures - Part 3 - Why Do We Need a Perfect Bible?

Temple Baptist Church - 11-2-2025

2 Timothy 3:10-17

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  I cannot overstate the importance of God’s Word.  God magnified the Word of God above all His name!  The reason for this is simple: all that we know about God is found in two ways:

 

1.  We know God through His Creation. 

 

Psalms 19:1-3  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.  (2)  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.  (3)  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

 

Everyone here has heard the “Voice of the Lord” in Creation.

 

Everyone in the world has heard the “Voice of the Lord” in Creation.

 

a)  The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament His handiwork.  Only God could have created this world and the universe that we see.  To observe these things and reject them, one becomes a ultimate fool.

 

Psalms 14:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

 

b) Though we can know that there is a Divine Creator through observation, creation does not identify who God is.

 

2.  We know and understand God through His Word.  The Word of God is vital to our knowledge and understanding of God.

 

a)  Though we do not totally understand God in this life, we will know Him when we see Him as He is.

 

b)  Through the Word of God, we can have a relationship with God, thus the importance of the greatest Doctrine: Bibliology.  The Doctrine of the Bible.

 

B.  Because our relationship with God depends upon the Word of God, we need to have full assurance that we have it. 

 

1.  There has been a “chipping away” at the Doctrine of God’s Word from the beginning of time, because to destroy our faith in the Bible is to undermine our faith in God, therefore, in Christ and His finished work of the Gospel. 

 

2.  If the Bible is not inerrant, then it can err. If the Bible is not infallible, then it can fail. If the Bible is not inspired, it cannot be of God. If the Bible is not divinely preserved, it is the work of man.

 

3.  Therefore, we must have the Word of God in purity, and we have it in the King James Bible.

 

C.  Why our unyielding stand on the Word of God?

 

1.  Our salvation depends upon it.  How do we know that we are saved?  BECAUSE the Bible tells us we are!

 

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

 

James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

 

James 1:21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

 

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 

John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

 

Psalms 119:50  This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.

 

Psalms 119:130  The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

 

2.  Sound doctrine demands it.  How do we know that our doctrine is correct?  Because our doctrine agrees with the Bible.  We do not alter the Bible to conform to our doctrine.

 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 

2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

 

1 Timothy 1:3 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

 

1 Timothy 1:9-10 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;

 

1 Timothy 4:16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

 

1 Timothy 6:1-5  Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and [his] doctrine be not blasphemed. 2  And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. 3  If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4  He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5  Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

 

3.  Christian maturity necessitates it.  How can we grow spiritually without it? 

 

Acts 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

 

1 Peter 2:1-2  Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

 

2 Peter 3:15-18 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; 16  As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 17  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

 

  4.  Our daily walk counts on it.  How do we know how to walk in the light?  We have to know what spiritual light is.

 

Colossians 2:6-8 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

 

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

 

Psalms 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed [thereto] according to thy word.

 

Psalms 119:11   Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 

Psalms 119:104  Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

 

Psalms 119:105  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

 

Psalms 119:133  Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

 

Psalms 119:165  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

 

  5.  Exposing false teachers requires it.  How do we identify wolves in the church?  By how they line up with the Bible, which is God’s standard.

 

Isaiah 8:19-21 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 21 And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.

Romans 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

 

Romans 16:17-18  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  (18)  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

 

2 Thessalonians 3:14 And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.

 

1 Timothy 6:3-5 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, [even] the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

 

1 John 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

 

  6.  The proof of our love for Christ is found in the keeping of God's words. 

  

John 14:21-24 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

Bibliology: The Doctrine of Scriptures - Part 1 - The Bible

Temple Baptist Church - 10-19-2025

2 Timothy 3:10-17

 

Introduction:  Introduction to Bibliology.

A.  This morning, we will continue a series on Sound Doctrine.  We have seen the doctrines of Theology (The Doctrine of God), Christology (The Doctrine of Christ), Pneumatology (The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit), Hamartiology (The Doctrine of Sin), and Soteriology (The Doctrine of Salvation).

 

B.  Today, we begin a series on Bibliology, The Doctrine of the Scriptures. 

 

1.  The greatest of all doctrines!  More than all the fundamental truths that we have studied, because if the Bible does not stand, if the Bible is not perfectly correct, if the Bible is not totally a “God Book,” then all other “ologies” will fail because their foundation is found in the Bible! 

 

2.  Bibliology is the fundamental foundation of Truth, as it is through the Bible that we find all the previous truths recorded.

 

3.  The local church is to be the pillar and the ground of the Truth. The Truth will make you truly free, free indeed.

 

1 Timothy 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

 

John 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

John 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

 

4.  The Pastor/Teacher is the most critical herald of the Truth!  God did not place a college professor in charge of preaching and teaching the Truth of God’s Word.  God gave the Pastor/Teacher to the local church! 

 

Ephesians 4:12-15  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  (13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:  (14)  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;  (15)  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

 

a)  For the perfecting of the saints.  “For the perfecting of the saints”

 

b)  For the work of the ministry.  “for the work of the ministry”

 

c)  For the edifying of the body of Christ.  “for the edifying of the body of Christ”

 

d)  For the unity of the faith.  “Till we all come in the unity of the faith”

 

e)  For the knowledge of the Son of God.  “and of the knowledge of the Son of God”

 

f)  For the perfection of the people of God.  “unto a perfect man”

 

g)  For the fullness of Christ.  “unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”

 

h)  For the maturity of the believers.  “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine”

 

i)  For the protection of the flock.  “by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”

 

j)  For speaking the truth in love!  “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”

 

2 Timothy 4:1-5  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;  (2)  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  (3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  (4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.  (5)  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

 

5.  Thus, the importance of knowing, preaching, teaching, and following the Truth.  I am not “beating my drum” this morning. 

 

a)  God did not call a college professor, TV preacher, or self-proclaimed Bible teacher to overshadow the man of God who stands in the pulpit of the local church! 

 

b)  Universities and Colleges do not “trump” the Local Church!  Every major denomination along with conventions have fallen into liberalism through their institutions of “higher learning.”  No learning should be higher than the pulpit of the local church.

 

c)   And, if calling standing for the Truth of God’s Word “majoring on a minor,” then so be it!

 

C.  First, let me reiterate that I am a fundamental Bible believer, or Biblicist.  It matters not what men say concerning doctrinal truth unless they are in complete agreement with the Scriptures.  The Bible is the final authority for both faith and practice!

 

D.  There is much confusion concerning the myriads of false manuscripts and “bibles” that now flood the market.  Liberal preachers, pastors, and teachers have rejected the King James Bible as they now use anything but it.  I stand unapologetically for the Authorized King James Bible!   I believe that the Authorized King James Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired, perfectly preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people!  No apology is needed nor extended.

 

E.  So, what is all the “fuss” about?  Satan has attacked the Word of God from the beginning in the Garden of Eden when the serpent asked, “Yea, hath God said?” followed by “Ye shall not surely die!”  Satan hates God, God’s Word, God’s Work, and God’s people.  It is his intent to confuse, discourage, and defile all that God has blessed with His approval.

 

F. Fundamental Bible believers have not caused today’s confusion.  The confusion is by the non-fundamental, non-Bible disbelievers!  We who stand for the Word of God are not confused; we just believe what it says.  We who believe God’s Word and stand upon the same have become “public enemy #1.”

 

G. The far left has maligned fundamental men of God.  This is a ploy of the devil in politics as well as in Theology.  We have been called ignorant and unlearned men, cultic, divisive, and worshippers of paper and ink. 

 

H.  I believe the Bible!   I am unapologetic and unbending, so to the liberal non-Bible believer, please just let this poor old, misguided preacher alone!  Let me preach, teach, and live by the King James Bible.

 

J.  If I read no other text in the Bible, our text for this morning would be a Full Mention Principle of Bible Interpretation. It says all that will ever need to be said on the subject of the Scriptures.

 

a.  Every few years, I preach a series on the Bible for various reasons. 

 

1.  I know that our people are well versed in the Scriptures, but we have young people growing up who need to know what we know. 

 

2.  Also, because of the constant "chipping away" of doctrinal truth through false teaching and peer pressure.  We adults need reinforcement. 

 

3.  What I will preach over these weeks will be what the Bible says and teaches about the Bible.  This series will not be about opinion; it will be about God's truth concerning the Scriptures.

 

b.  In 2 Timothy, the key verse is chapter 2, verse 15:

 

1.  "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  Here, Paul is admonishing young Timothy to study the Word of God! 

 

2.  Thank God Timothy did not go join a liberal church nor did he go off to Bible College.  He sat under God's man who told him to study the Word of God.  Modern Bible Colleges and Universities have become “cesspools” for doctrinal heresies as they undermine the very Bible that many hold in their hands by teaching errancy and fallibility of the Scriptures.

 

3.  As your pastor, I tell you to study the Word of God!  Forget the “Common Taters,” as they should always be a last resort.  Then, when you read after them, keep in mind that these commentaries are the work of man, not the work of God. 

 

4.  Also, it is hard to find a doctrinally straight commentary.  John Gill was a Calvinist who used other versions.  Schofield was not entirely faithful to the Bible.  J. Vernon McGee would re-translate the Bible.  The list could go on and on but you get the gist of it.

 

5.  The best commentary on the Bible is always the Bible.  Paul told Timothy to study the Bible and the Bible alone.

 

1 Corinthians 2:11-13  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  (12)  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  (13)  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

 

2 Peter 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

 

c.  What a perfectly inspired, complex, and perfect unified Bible that we have!

 

1.  It contains 66 Books, 1,189 chapters, 31,102 Verses, app. 783,137 words, and app. 3,116,480 letters in it.  39 Old Testament Books and 27 New Testament Books.

 

2.  It was written over a period of approximately 1,500-1,600 years from 1500 B.C. until 96 A.D.

 

3.  It was written by 40 different men from different walks of life under the Authorship of the Holy Spirit, maintaining one unified message, the redemption of mankind through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

d.  The translation work of the King James Bible was a once-in-history work in both complexity and perfect accuracy.

 

1.  Commissioned by King James I of England in 1604.

 

2.  Published in 1611.

 

3.  Based entirely on the Hebrew Masoretic Text (the Old Testament) and the Greek Textus Receptus (the New Testament).

 

4.  There were six groups (companies) of translators, totaling about 47 scholars, divided between Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster:

 

5.  These scholars who translated the King James Bible were linguistic and theological giants, many fluent in Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek, Latin, and other languages.

 

e.  The Translation Process was both complex and systematic.

 

1. Each translator first worked individually on his assigned portion.

 

2. The company then met to compare and discuss every verse.

 

3. Once completed, the section was sent to other companies for review and revision.

 

4. A final committee of twelve (two from each company) made final edits for uniformity and accuracy.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

5. The result was a Bible of unmatched beauty, precision, and doctrinal purity.

 

6.  Every verse was carefully examined by multiple scholars, ensuring accuracy and consistency across the entire work.

 

7.  Early printings contained typographical errors (e.g., the “Wicked Bible,” 1631, accidentally omitted “not” in “Thou shalt not commit adultery”).  These were typographical errors which were removed.

 

8.  Standardized spelling and punctuation were updated in 1762 (Cambridge Edition) and 1769 (Oxford Edition) — the latter being the standard King James Bible used today.

 

f.  The Significance of the King James Bible.

 

1.  Linguistically: Shaped the English language; over 257 idioms in modern English come directly from it.

 

2.  Doctrinally: Preserves the pure Word of God based on the Received Texts used by the early church.

 

3.  Spiritually: Revered for its reverence, cadence, purity, and divine majesty, unlike modern translations that alter or omit key words.

 

g.  I gave you this information to show you the greatness of your King James Bible.  The inspiration of the authors and the preservation of those who published it!

 

Psalms 68:11  The Lord gave the word (Inspiration): great was the company of those that published it (Preservation).

 

h.  In the following weeks, we will find out what God says about the Word of God, and, at that point, people can either believe the Bible or reject its clear truths.

 

i. NO PLACE in the Bible tells us that it will ever be wrong at any time or on any point.  The Bible declares itself to be perfect and completely reliable.

 

Conclusion:  Prize your Bible, magnify your Bible, stand on your Bible, live by your Bible, and you will live a life that is both satisfying and pleasing to God.